Longtime Alcee Hastings Aide Mikel Jones Has Law License Suspended

Mikel D. Jones, a former aide to Democratic South Florida Rep. Alcee Hastings, has been suspended from practicing law pending further judgment from the Florida Supreme Court.

Jones (and his wife) were convicted in November of conspiracy, money-laundering, and multiple counts of both wire fraud and mail fraud after federal officials discovered they'd stolen more than $350,000 through a law firm Jones was operating in Philadelphia at the same time he was working for Hastings in Palm Beach County.The FBI said money was being laundered through invoices to shell companies and going into the bank accounts of his daughter and wife and being spent on tickets to see the Philadelphia 76ers.

Hastings announced at the time of the conviction that Jones, a 15-year-employee of the congressman, had been fired -- and now, Jones doesn't get to practice law in Florida either. Now that he's been found guilty of a bar violation, a referee appointed by the Florida Bar will now determine what to do with him. The Florida Supreme Court will make the final call, though the bar said there wasn't a way to predict how soon the recommendation would come down.

(The Philadelphia Inquirer also looked into the allegations against Jones; for more about his crimes and the city programs he took advantage of, check out their 2011 report.)